Daily Dish: 11/1/2012

Brad Pitt has agreed to donate $100,000 to help the Human Rights Campaign raise money for its efforts to support same-sex marriage initiatives in several states.

The nation's largest gay rights group announced Wednesday that Pitt agreed to match contributions from the group's members up to $100,000.

In an email to members of the Human Rights Campaign, Pitt wrote that it's "unbelievable" that people's relationships will be put to a vote on Election Day.

Same-sex marriage will be on the ballot in Maryland, Maine, Minnesota and Washington state.

The Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights Campaign says it has spent $8 million to push for marriage equality for gays and lesbians over the past two years, including $5 million in the four ballot measures this year.

George Wendt leaves play after chest pains

Chest pains will keep actor George Wendt from performing as Oscar Madison in a Chicago-area production of "The Odd Couple."

Northlight Theatre announced Tuesday that the actor famous for playing Norm Peterson on the TV show "Cheers" checked into a hospital Sunday and is receiving medical attention. Northlight Theatre executive director Timothy Evans says Wendt "will eventually make a full recovery."

The 64-year-old Wendt was to perform in the show from Nov. 2 through Dec. 9 in the Chicago suburb of Skokie. He will be replaced by actor Marc Grapey, who previously performed in "The Odd Couple" on Broadway with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.

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TV chef Emeril talks boudin, beer and New Orleans

Emeril Lagasse has a new cookbook and new season of TV's "Top Chef" premiering in a week, but what really got the chef talking was boudin and beer.

Lagasse says chefs from San Francisco and elsewhere are heading to New Orleans this week to join more than two dozen Big Easy chefs in serving up some of their favorite dishes using or inspired by boudin -- a pork and rice sausage common in Louisiana cuisine -- during Lagasse's "Boudin and Beer" street party with live music and Louisiana-brewed Abita beer.

The event kicks off a two-day celebration of Louisiana food and culture with all proceeds going to the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, the charity the chef founded in 2002.

'Jersey Shore' cast sends support to Sandy victims

The town that for millions made "Jersey Shore" synonymous with Snooki and fist-pumping was among the hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy -- and its famous summer residents sent their prayers to those affected.

Jenni "JWoww" Farley appeared on the "Tonight Show," and host Jay Leno asked about the house she owns with her fiance, Roger, in Toms River.

"Fixable, I want to say. It's really -- it, like, hurts the heart a lot. It's really kind of devastating," she said. "But as long as, like, my dogs, Roger's safe, my friends are safe, we're just all without power."

Vinny Guadagnino told MTV that Seaside Heights had become his second home. He tweeted that Staten Island, N.Y., where he lives, "looks like war zone" and posted a picture of a downed tree.

He, Farley and DelVecchio asked their Twitter followers to donate $10 to the American Red Cross via text. Polizzi also said she would donate but was more true to form: "Ugh trying to change my son's diaper while holding a flash light is not easy," she wrote from East Hanover, using the hashtag "nopower."

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